Final(s) call

Illinois College sophmores Madi Peyton (front) and Grace Yaunches take advantage of nice weather Tuesday to study outside for their final exams.

Illinois College sophmores Madi Peyton (front) and Grace Yaunches take advantage of nice weather Tuesday to study outside for their final exams.

Image
1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

Illinois College sophmores Madi Peyton (front) and Grace Yaunches take advantage of nice weather Tuesday to study outside for their final exams.

Illinois College sophmores Madi Peyton (front) and Grace Yaunches take advantage of nice weather Tuesday to study outside for their final exams.

Final(s) call

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

May marks the beginning of the end — of the semester — and final exams are fast approaching at Jacksonville’s colleges, where students are busy studying for written exams and finishing up end-of-year projects.

“I’m pretty stressed out right now because of all the projects I have to do,” said Jon Pollock, a senior at MacMurray College. “But finals week will probably be even more stress because all the stuff is close together.”

MacMurray students have another week to prepare for finals, but that doesn’t mean it’s any easier as they hurry to finish last-minute class work and presentations. First-year MacMurray student Hannah Wetzel had finished two presentations on Tuesday but still had work ahead.

“I’m in microbiology and we have a lab report that’s due tomorrow and I’m also in general biology and I have another lab report,” she said. “It’s been busy. It’s always crunch time this last week.”

Crunch time at Illinois College has already come and is almost gone. The last day of classes there was Tuesday and finals start today.

“One of them, I have a group presentation over a project; one I have a test, another presentation and a paper,” IC senior Maggie Sabo said, thinking over all the things that she has coming due during finals week.

But there’s a silver lining to it for Sabo.

“I think I just have a better attitude about this one, because it’s my last one,” she said of final exams. “It’s pretty similar (to last semester). I just think I have a better attitude about them.”

Many students aren’t too worried about their actual exams. They’re feeling pretty prepared for them.

“My professors gave me a layout and a study guide and a wide variety of materials to study from. I’m pretty confident in it,” IC sophomore Azariah Hill said.

Wetzel shared the same feeling — she was caught up for the time being.

While many students felt prepared for their tests, they also realize the challenges of focusing on studying aren’t yet behind them.

“I would say (studying is) harder, with a lot more distractions because of the weather getting a lot (nicer), more things to do,” Hill said. “You’re just ready for the summer, where as last semester you were just ready for your winter break. A lot more distractions, a lot more plans to try to prepare for the summer, as well.

“Maybe harder, because I have my mind elsewhere than finals right now.”